Maine CoonHandling: Maine Coons generally have a gentle nature. They are intelligent, powerful cats, who respond well to good handling.Removing a Maine Coon from a pen: Approach the cat with a quiet confidence. If the cat is asleep, then wake gently before attempting to remove from pen. If the cat is sitting in the back corner of a double pen, do not be tempted to stick your head and shoulders into the pen to reach them; you will be placing yourself in danger, should the cat become agitated. Try to attract the cat to you. It is also a good idea to remove the litter tray before trying to remove the cat as there will be less for them to grip onto.

Bring the cat out of the pen in one smooth movement. Briefly stretch the cat to show the judge the body length before placing When you remove the cat from the pen, this is best done with the cat facing backwards. Using one hand, grasp the front legs whilst supporting the chest. The other hand should be in front of the back legs. Maine Coons are much happier when well supported, in this manner – but do not need to be held against the body.all four legs on the table.

Holding a Maine Coon:Maine Coons, especially males, do not like to be held under their rump or turned over onto their backs, nor dangled from under their front legs. When it is held, the Maine Coon should be supported back and front, however it is generally best to keep the cat on the trolley during judging. Body length can also easily be checked by standing the cat on its hind legs on the trolley, stretching the cat upwards whilst supporting the shoulders with one hand. If the cat MUST be stretched whilst off the trolley, then make sure that the front legs are grasped, and the cat’s body allowed to lie along the length of the arm, which will then support its back. An adult Maine Coon must never be held so that its spine is allowed to droop as this could be damaging to the vertebrae and discs.

To check tail length, extend the tail back from the body and compare with the length of the body. You can also run your hand down from the neck to the base of the tail and then along the tail to give a comparison between the two. NEVER pull the tail back over, or alongside the body as this can cause pain and also upsets many cats.

Points to remember:1. Take your time, handle calmly, gently and with confidence. 2. Always support both ends of the body, but do not let the spine droop. 3. Judge on the trolley wherever possible, especially the larger males. 4. Don’t pull the tail back over or round the body. 5. Don’t hold the cat by its rump or on it’s back 6. Do support well when stretching the cat. Use the arm as an extra support, and don’t hold in this position for longer than absolutely necessary. 7. Do not cradle the cat like a baby.